Scottish Executive

Central Heating

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that there will always be a ready supply of central heating units for installation under its central heating programme.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems it estimates will have to be ordered in order to meet installation needs under its central heating programme, broken down for each of the next five years.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating system units are currently available for installation as part of its central heating programme.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating engineers will be required to install the central heating units under its central heating programme.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are expected to qualify as central heating engineers in each of the next five years.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified central heating engineers there currently are for each type of central heating system and what the current annual number of installations of each type is.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from which budgets Scottish Homes’ £40 million contribution to the central heating programme will be allocated.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where the central heating units which will be installed under its central heating programme will be constructed.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the central heating units which will be installed under its central heating programme have yet been ordered; if so, how many, from whom and what has been the total cost of these units to date.

Jackie Baillie: When first planning for the central heating programme, we used the 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey to make an estimate of requirements and estimated that 140,000 dwellings required action. Earlier this year we asked councils and housing associations to let us know how many systems they had installed. Considerably more investment has been made in recent years than was first thought and so the actual number of public sector homes requiring central heating is now much lower than first estimated. This will allow us to accelerate the programme so that it can be completed by 2005 and enable us to extend it to include other deserving cases.

  Information on the number of heating systems required for the overall programme is not held centrally. However, the commercial opportunities which the programme provides will boost the supply of central heating systems to meet the extra demand. We are ensuring that only the most efficient and cost-effective heating units are used, to maximise the benefits for householders and the public purse.

  The number of engineers required to install the central heating units depends on the type of systems being installed, the geographical spread of households and the productivity of the engineers. We hold no information on the number of engineers currently in the industry or how many are expected to qualify, but the Managing Agent for the private sector will be expected to participate in recognised training and apprenticeship schemes to attract new trainees to the industry. The opportunities which the programme is generating should also encourage entry to the skills market. We are also undertaking both national and local research on the labour demands and skill requirements now being generated not just by the growing level of public spending on housing but also by the community ownership programme and other infrastructure investment.

  Resources for the installation of central heating in all sectors of the stock, including housing associations, will be allocated from the central heating programme budget in the fuel poverty line of the Annual Expenditure Report.

  Local authorities, housing associations and the Managing Agent for the private sector are responsible for ordering the systems for the their respective dwellings. We do not hold information on the number of ordered systems nor the cost of the units being installed. The cost of the units will vary depending upon the type of systems to be installed.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the NHS24 (Scotland) Order 2001 (SSI 2001/137) was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 3 April 2001 and came into force on 6 April 2001.

Susan Deacon: The case for establishing NHS24 as a special health board was considered as part of the review of non-departmental public bodies. This delayed the date on which the Order could be laid before Parliament and, to avoid delay to essential project work, the Order had to be brought into force as quickly as possible. A letter of explanation was submitted to the Presiding Officer when the Order was laid.

Health

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to encourage and support NHS Trusts and health boards in tackling any health inequalities experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Susan Deacon: Addressing health inequalities lies at the heart of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change  and is an important part of our work for social justice. Health boards are expected to use their knowledge of the health needs of their populations to develop services designed to meet those needs and to address any inequalities in access to those services.

Health

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how good practice in addressing any health inequalities experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities is shared between NHS Trusts, health boards and its Health Department.

Susan Deacon: A range of measures is in place to share best practice within NHSScotland. These are supported and developed both by the Health Department and a range of health professional bodies.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on General Medical Services both (a) Cash Limited and (b) Non-Cash Limited in each year since 1996-97 to date.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage share of total health expenditure has (a) been used and (b) is budgeted in future for General Medical Services, both (i) Cash Limited and (ii) Non-Cash Limited in each year from 1996-97 to 2002-03.

Susan Deacon: Details of expenditure on General Medical Services Cash Limited and Non-Cash Limited and their percentage share of total health expenditure for 1996-97 to 1999-2000, based on audited accounts, is given in the table. The abolition of GP fund holding in 1999-2000 led to a change in accounting arrangements which is reflected in that year’s apparently smaller proportion of General Medical Services Cash Limited expenditure compared with earlier years.

  The apparent reduction in the share of General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited expenditure from 1998-99 reflects a transfer of resources from that budget to the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education when it took over responsibility for vocational training for GPs.

  


 


General Medical Services Cash Limited 
  

General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited 
  



 


Expenditure
(£ million) 
  

Percentage of Total Health Expenditure 
  

Expenditure
(£ million) 
  

Percentage of Total Health Expenditure 
  



1996-97 
  

95.7 
  

2.30% 
  

237.7 
  

5.60% 
  



1997-98 
  

108.4 
  

2.50% 
  

248.7 
  

5.70% 
  



1998-99 
  

119 
  

2.60% 
  

243.8 
  

5.30% 
  



1999-2000 
  

108.9 
  

2.20% 
  

268.8 
  

5.40% 
  



  Notes:

  The General Medical Services Cash Limited expenditure from 1996-97 to 1999-2000 comprise a central allocation plus additional expenditure by health boards from their general allocations/unified budgets.

  Information on the total budgets for General Medical Services Cash Limited expenditure for 2000-01 to 2002-03 is not yet identifiable from health boards’ unified budgets.

  Indicative allocations for General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited for 2000-01 to 2002-03 have been issued. They represent 5.2%, 5.1% and 5.0% respectively of the total health budget. However, these proportions are likely to change as actual expenditure on these demand-led services will reflect actual usage.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for General Medical Services both (a) Cash Limited and (b) Non-Cash Limited in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03.

Susan Deacon: Details are as follows:

  


 


2001-02
(£ million) 
  

2002-03
(£ million) 
  



General Medical Services Cash Limited 
  

103.1 
  

Not separately identified 
  



General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited 
  

297.6 
  

311.1 
  



  General Medical Services Cash Limited provision is included in health boards’ unified budget. No sum has been specifically identified for 2002-03. General Medical Services Cash Limited expenditure comprises a central allocation plus additional expenditure by health boards from their unified budgets. The figures shown are the central allocations only.

  The budgets for General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited are indicative. General Medical Services Non-Cash Limited are demand-led and final levels of expenditure will reflect actual usage.

Nursing

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-7163 and S1W-15072 by Susan Deacon on 26 April 2001, whether it can explain the discrepancy in the number of whole-time equivalent qualified school nurses between the two answers.

Susan Deacon: I regret that the information on the number of whole-time equivalent qualified school nurses given in question S1W-7163 included clinic nurses employed by NHSScotland as well as school nurses. The information in question S1W-15072 is correct. The figures in these answers came from Skipper and ISD Scotland respectively.

Nursing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-12650 by Susan Deacon on 30 March 2001, how many nursing vacancies there were in each health board area on (a) 31 March 1999, (b) 31 March 1998 and (c) 31 March 1997, specifying in each case the number which had been vacant for three or more months.

Susan Deacon: There are more than 500 fewer nurse vacancies now in Scotland than in 1997. The figures show that overall just 0.6% of Scotland’s total NHS nursing posts are vacant for longer than three months. However, we recognise that there are long-term problems of recruitment and retention in key specialties which lead to a minority of these vacancies taking longer to fill. We have made targeted investment in an extra 210 specialist nurses to improve this situation.

  Qualified Nursing and Midwifery staff vacancies at 31 March by Health Board Area

  Whole-time equivalent

  


 


1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



 


Total Vacancies 
  

Vacancies for 3 months or more 
  

Total Vacancies 
  

Vacancies for 3 months or more 
  

Total Vacancies 
  

Vacancies for 3 months or more 
  

Total Vacancies 
  

Vacancies for 3 months or more 
  



Scotland 
  

1,648.5 
  

475.1 
  

1,620.5 
  

370.5 
  

1,280.9 
  

449.0 
  

1,128.9 
  

298.6 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

175.1 
  

33.3 
  

209.8 
  

46.9 
  

142.7 
  

78.5 
  

120.9 
  

62.1 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

31.4 
  

9.1 
  

82.1 
  

38.9 
  

80.6 
  

4.6 
  

45.5 
  

- 
  



Borders 
  

5.7 
  

- 
  

23.1 
  

5.0 
  

13.7 
  

- 
  

2.0* 
  

7.5* 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

23.1 
  

8.2 
  

8.0 
  

2.0 
  

19.6 
  

1.0 
  

2.8 
  

- 
  



Fife 
  

22.2 
  

4.2 
  

82.9 
  

0.7 
  

72.7 
  

15.6 
  

76.5* 
  

2.3* 
  



Forth Valley 
  

184.8 
  

52.6 
  

39.4 
  

12.1 
  

53.5 
  

18.9 
  

34.8 
  

- 
  



Grampian 
  

148.0 
  

33.9 
  

238.3 
  

20.8 
  

178.6 
  

54.9 
  

163.2 
  

44.1 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

470.4 
  

116.7 
  

449.3 
  

95.6 
  

282.0* 
  

91.2* 
  

276.4 
  

90.3 
  



Highland 
  

34.8 
  

8.5 
  

38.1 
  

21.0 
  

25.2 
  

8.3 
  

39.1 
  

2.0 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

72.3 
  

26.2 
  

92.2 
  

35.3 
  

60.6 
  

36.6 
  

93.5 
  

58.2 
  



Lothian 
  

376.6 
  

133.3 
  

257.9* 
  

77.9* 
  

246.9* 
  

120.1* 
  

191.4 
  

11.2 
  



Orkney 
  

1.0 
  

- 
  

2.0 
  

1.0 
  

2.5 
  

1.9 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Shetland 
  

6.9 
  

3.9 
  

2.5 
  

- 
  

9.0 
  

2.0 
  

16.8 
  

5.4 
  



Tayside 
  

89.1 
  

41.2 
  

57.2 
  

13.3 
  

58.2 
  

15.4 
  

9.9 
  

4.5 
  



Western Isles 
  

7.2 
  

4.0 
  

20.3 
  

- 
  

25.2 
  

- 
  

16.0 
  

11.0 
  



  *Indicates that the data for this health board is incomplete as at least one of its trusts did not submit a return.

  Source: ISD(M)36, ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Data are at 30 April 1999. The change to April 1999 was due to trust reconfiguration.

  2. The data for 2000 is provisional.

  3. Excludes nurse teachers and nurses in training.

  4. Qualified consists of first and second (enrolled) level registered staff.

  5. ISD Scotland conducts an annual vacancy survey for nursing and midwifery vacancies. Vacancies under three months or more are more likely to be what is expected in normal turnover of staff and the process followed to advertise and recruit. They do not necessarily indicate any shortages of staff groups. The vacancy figures relate to vacant posts at 31 March, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

  6. The Scotland total includes those nursing and midwifery vacancies in special health boards (the State Hospital and Common Services Agency (CSA)) but the WTE of nursing and midwifery vacancies is not shown explicitly for these employers because the question specifically asks for "health board areas".